Joss Stone Pictures

British vocalist Joss Stone was only 16 years old when she appeared on the universal pop/rock radar in 2003, ready to challenge the pop domination of

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Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera with a grownup sound that belied her young age. Positioning herself among the more established and credible artists (Norah Jones, Jill Scott, Nikka Costa), Stone soon garnered a devoted audience at home and abroad, first for her reinterpretations of classic soul gems (The Soul Sessions) and, one year later, for her songwriting chops and sultry delivery (Mind, Body & Soul).

Born Joscelyn Eve Stoker in 1987, Stone grew up listening to American soul and R&B, particularly the throaty stylings of Aretha Franklin. It didn't take long for Stone to realize she possessed an impressive vocal style with both depth and emotion, much like her idols. In 2002, Stone left her family home in Devon, England (also home to Coldplay's Chris Martin), to attend an audition in New York City. The young vocalist wowed S-Curve CEO Steve Greenberg with her rendition of Donna Summer's "On the Radio," and a record deal was quickly inked between both parties. With her parents' permission, Stone dropped out of school and changed her last name and she primed herself for a career in entertainment.

R&B/soul pioneer Betty Wright joined Stone for her first recording, becoming an instant mentor and friend to the impressionable girl with big dreams. Vocalist Angie Stone and the Roots also assisted Stone in the studio in 2003 for what became The Soul Sessions EP. A riveting set of 1970s classics by the likes of Laura Lee and Bettye Swann, as well as tracks by Wright and Franklin, The Soul Sessions was accentuated by fellow Miami soul musicians Benny Latimore, Timmy Thomas, and Little Beaver. Stone crafted the neo-soul album in just four days, hurried by an anxious label that couldn't wait to tell the world about their one-of-a-kind starlet. The Soul Sessions was ultimately a resounding success, selling over two million copies; it also introduced Stone to the MTV generation with the funky strut of "Fell in Love with a Boy" (a rework of the White Stripes hit "Fell in Love with a Girl").